The initiative, spearheaded by the environmental group Guardián Forestal and the Michoacán state government, mandates that exporters screen orchards against deforestation records dating back to 2018. The system currently monitors more than 53,000 orchards spanning 200,000 hectares. Major industry players, including Calavo Growers, Fresh Del Monte Produce, Mission Produce, and West Pak Avocado, have joined the voluntary certification effort to align with increasing pressure from U.S. grocery chains.
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Mexican Avocado Exports Pivot to Satellite-Based Forest Protection
A digital audit of Mexican avocado groves is reshaping U.S. supply chains as retailers crack down on deforestation. Launched in 2024, the Pro-Forest Agriculture program now covers over 90% of Mexican avocado exports to the United States, utilizing AI and satellite surveillance to verify that fruit is not sourced from protected land.
Retailers are accelerating this shift by mandating PFA-certified sourcing for their shelves. Companies like Sprouts Farmers Market now require that all Mexican avocados originate from certified suppliers, while Costco has pushed its supply chain to adopt the monitoring tools. Despite this progress, Climate Rights International warns that the transformation remains incomplete. Some producers still circumvent these standards by selling through non-certified packinghouses, prompting a coalition of 50 organizations to call for broader retail adoption to fully close the market to deforested land.
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